Investigating the Behavioral Adaptation Model of Tourism Business Owners in Kermanshah Province facing COVID-19 Outbreak

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, Faculty of Social Sciences, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran

2 Department of Geography, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

Abstract

It is obvious that the Covid-19 virus outbreak crisis has had many negative effects on tourism businesses worldwide; Therefore, it is necessary to study the adaptation behaviors to this crisis in order to reduce its adverse effects leading to manage the adaptive behaviors of this crisis by sharing experiences and to ensure the continuity of tourism businesses in times of crisis. The current study aims to investigate the behavioral adaptation model of tourism business owners in Kermanshah Province facing COVID-19 crisis. The population of this study includes business owners in the field of tourism in Kermanshah Province. Purposeful snowball sampling was used to select the interviewees. Sampling was continued until theoretical saturation was reached. In this study, theoretical saturation was obtained by examining 38 samples from the mentioned population. Data collection was done through open (unstructured) questionnaires, in-depth individual interviews, note-taking, document review, or often a combination of these methods. The results obtained from the research data in the open, axial and selective coding process were extracted and classified in the form of concepts. Based on the data; a "model of behavioral adaptation of tourism business owners in the face of the Covid-19 crisis" was designed and presented. In general, the results showed that the behaviors included two categories of reactive adaptive behaviors and planned adaptive behaviors that reactive adaptive behaviors are the basis for the destruction of businesses in the long run and planned adaptive behaviors paves the way for the growth and development of businesses in the long run. It is suggested that policymakers try to reduce reactive behaviors and improve planned behaviors in order to grow and develop businesses in the long run by adopting correct and principled policies.
Extended Abstract
1-Introduction
The outbreak of Covid-19One is of the most recent crises which not only endanger the health of people worldwide but also has had unprecedented effects on various businesses. There is ample evidence around the world that the Covid-19 virus outbreak crisis has had many negative effects on tourism businesses; Therefore, it is necessary to study the adaptation behaviors to this crisis in order to reduce its adverse effects in order to be able to manage the adaptive behaviors of this crisis by sharing experiences and facilitating the continuation of tourism businesses in time of crisis. The current study aims to investigate the Behavioral Adaptation model of tourism business owners in Kermanshah province in the face of the COVID-19 crisis.
2-Materials and Methods
The present study is a kind of qualitative research conducted by Strauss method based on grounded theory. The study population includes all business owners in the field of tourism in Kermanshah Province. In this study, purposeful snowball sampling method was used. Besides, theoretical saturation was obtained with 38 people. Open-ended questionnaires, in-depth individual interviews and note-taking, or often a combination of these, were applied to collect initial data and, of course, in accordance with health protocols and in some cases using new communication technologies (voice and video calls). Data were analyzed based on three stages of open coding, axial coding and selective coding. Finally, a paradigmatic model was presented based on the systematic method of grounded theory. The validity of the proposed model was evaluated using 4 indicators of validity, Creditability, Conformability, Transferability and Dependency, and finally confirmed.
3-Results and Discussion
The findings reveal high prevalence of coronavirus is due to the non-observance of health protocols by the people, the lack of correct and timely decisions by the authorities and the normalization of the crisis for the people. It should be said that cooperation and participation at the micro and macro levels of society is needed to solve any crisis. In the case of this emerging crisis, cooperation between the government and the nation is of great importance. According to the findings from this study, the outbreak of Corona virus has upset the balance of the existing conditions of businesses and has made them face critical conditions or non-acceptance of tourists, reduced income and inability to pay debts.  Accordingly, this situation not only affects economic situation but also makes a lot of psychological pressure on business owners. In this regard, it can be said that the adoption of unprincipled supportive policies such as lack of adequate facilities, subsidies, loans with postpaid and low interest rates, failure to defer critical loans repaid in crisis and lack of proper and adequate supervision of banks in deferring all loans have paved the way for the bankruptcy and destruction of tourism businesses, so that these barriers have reduced the ability of business owners to adapt or adopt a long-term responsiveness. The results indicate that tourism business owners have taken adaptive measures to maintain the life of their business in the time of the crisis, including changing in management and executive practices, changing of field of activity, using cyberspace and following health protocols to maintain trust and confidence. However, in this way, there were economic, social and other obstacles affected their actions. In other words, it can be said that the current crisis has caused two types of adaptive behavior in business owners. One dimension of this behavior is planned adaptation, which leads to the development and growth of businesses with a long-term vision and is a symbol of hope for the future. Another dimension is related to the reaction behavior in which short-term responses are highlighted. However, it not only provides the ground for business growth and development but also causes the disappearance of tourism in the long run.
4-Conclusion
In general, it can be said that although tourism businesses are the most vulnerable type of businesses in the face of the corona crisis, it can be managed. In fact, if the right policies and proper management of businesses with a long-term vision for the development and growth of tourism businesses are adapted, it can turn the crisis into an opportunity for business development and growth in the post-Corona era. Also, through principled policies, we can see the continued growth and survival of businesses during and after the crisis, strengthening the provincial brand, increasing the share of the tourist market nationally and internationally in the post-Crown era and paving the way for safe and smart tourism models.
 

Keywords

References

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